Irish 'have to get better'

2007 troubles act as clear motivator

September 06, 2008|By Brian Hamilton, TRIBUNE REPORTER

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The idea was not to be tethered to recent history, to be dragged down as if times gone by were anvils attached to their shoelaces. So by mandate of Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, no one was going to talk about 2007 in 2008.

The past? The Irish passed.

Then a somewhat conflicting reality crystallized: What happened in 2007 exists, in all its burdensome gloom, at the core of what Notre Dame believes it must accomplish beginning Saturday.

"I hate to talk about last season ... but look at last season," tailback James Aldridge said as the Irish prepared to play host to San Diego State in their season opener.

"Some things have to change. We have to get better. We can't have that type of season. Plain and simple. Point blank. It is what it is, that's in the past, but we have to prove ourselves."

And to think this is a team riding a two-game winning streak.

The two victories, of course, only fleshed out a 3-9 season last fall. Coming at the expense of similarly struggling Duke and Stanford, another theme can be extracted from 2007 for this visit from the injury-ravaged Aztecs, losers to Cal-Poly only a week ago:

Is it enough to win Saturday, or do the Irish have a higher bar to clear in order to quell some doubts?

"A win is a win, obviously," guard Eric Olsen said. "The thing is more that we're trying to play a perfect game. If we can play to our full potential, that will, obviously, put us in good position to win, if we can. But a win's a win either way."

Indeed, while emphasizing a fast start since early August, Weis also seems wary of winding his group too tight. In his final pregame comments Thursday, Weis said his expectations were merely that his club gets better in all three phases of the game. Ankle-length skirts aren't that modest.

The opener, however, is for introspection. Given the caliber of opponent, the Irish are competing against themselves and their own demons. Can they run the ball? Can they play physical? Can they look like a team that knows what it is doing?

After the profound malaise of 2007, the Irish claim a renewed confidence. Can they show everyone why?

Tackle Sam Young said: "To be quite honest, we have to put our money where our mouth is come Saturday."